Topic - Sports and Grades. Some of my students have such crippling learning disabilities that the hope of getting and keeping a C average is nearly impossible even with special education and other support.
If they don’t have a C average, they can’t play sports.
Sports are oftentimes the only way my students can meaningfully participate in school. It’s their only source of self-worth and belonging.
On the football field, Ryan can get the respect he doesn’t earn in the classroom. As part of the team, he learns self-discipline, team work, following directions and accepts instruction and mentoring from his coaches.
When football is taken away, what else does he have? This void in his life leaves him depressed, anxious and hopeless.
There’s nothing he can do to change the situation and his helplessness makes him vulnerable to unhealthy influences.
Request a waiver to allow Ryan to still be a part of the team. If he’s working as hard as he can and behaving, he’ll stand a good chance of getting the waiver.
